Burgundy Glow Bugleweed

Burgundy Glow Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow') is a creeping groundcover grown for its foliage first and its flowers second. It sits only 20cm high and spreads to about 60cm, with leaves marbled in cream, pink and grey green that hold their colour all year. In spring, short spikes of blue purple flowers stand above the mat and the bees find them within days.

Why you'll love it

• Three colours in one leaf. Cream, dusty pink and green variegation gives a planted bed permanent interest, not just a few weeks of bloom.
• It closes gaps quickly. Runners root as they travel, so plants set 30cm apart knit into a continuous mat within a season.
• Flowers that feed bees and butterflies. The spring spikes are short lived but genuinely useful to pollinators, which matters in a small garden.
• Very little upkeep. Frost hardy, happy in poor soil and tolerant of humidity, it needs no more than a shear after flowering.

Where it works best

Groundcover under trees and shrubs. Plant 30cm apart for a dense cover. It is one of the better options for the dry shade beneath established plantings, where lawn gives up.

Borders and edging. A single row along a path softens the edge and stays low enough that it never needs cutting back off the paving.

Rockeries and small gardens. It spills over stone and fills pockets between plantings, and in a courtyard it covers ground a larger plant would swamp.

Growing Burgundy Glow Bugleweed in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade gives the best leaf colour and the most reliable results. It is at home in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it is frost hardy. In hot inland and humid subtropical positions, keep it out of afternoon sun or the foliage scorches.

Soil. Poor soil is tolerated, but it wants moisture and drainage together. Work compost through the bed before planting and mulch lightly between plants until they meet.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. A light dressing of complete fertiliser in early spring keeps the variegation bright; heavy feeding makes it leggy.

Pruning. Shear off the spent flower spikes once they brown. Every second or third year, lift and divide crowded patches, and slice through runners at the edge of the bed to keep the spread where you want it.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock or in 140mm pots sold in packs of 10. Tubes are small, usually a rosette or two, and are the value choice for covering a whole bed once the runners start. The 140mm plants are already spreading and give a visible result straight away.

Groundcovers travel well because they are compact, though a little leaf bruising in transit is normal. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full groundcover range for other spreading options.
• Read about the best ground cover plants for shade.
• Compare low rockery plants for stone and slope planting.
• Get ideas from low growing border planting.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Thirty centimetres apart in a staggered grid. That closes into solid cover in one growing season and leaves each plant enough room to root down properly.

Will it take foot traffic?

Occasional stepping is fine, but it is not a lawn substitute. Use it beside stepping stones rather than under them, and keep it off the route the kids and the dog actually take.

Does it spread where I do not want it?

It travels by surface runners, so it will creep into lawn and neighbouring beds if left alone. A pass with a spade around the edge once a year keeps it honest.